Trolling spoon



G. H. DOERING TROLLING SPOON -Filed Sept. 8, 192-3 IN V ENTOR Gear650061719 BY 5 v ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 23, 1925.

UNITED STATES GEORGE H. DOER-ING, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

TR OLLING SPOON.

Application filed September To all whom it Wtdfl/ concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. DOERING,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Brooklyn,in the county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented newand useful Improvements in Trolling Spoons, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention consists in certain novel features in constructionhereinafter described and set forth in claims whereby the utility,durability and attractiveness ofthe spoon is increased. 1

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a trolling spoonand hook connection whereby a strain on the book will be transmittedthrough direct connections to the line, the spoon body being relieved'of such strain whereby the liability of breaking the spoon body ismaterially reduced.

There are other important objects and advantages of the invention, allof which will appear hereinafter.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a face view of the trolling spoon;

F 2 a central longitudinal sectional view thereof;

Fig. 3 a vicwsimilar to-Fig. 2showing the parts in the position whichthey will assume under a strain brought directly on the hook and line;and

Fig. 4a transverse sectional view of the spoon body taken on the line 14of Fig. 1.

Referring to various parts by numerals, 1 designates the spoon bodywhich preferably consists of a single piece of mother-of pearl orpyralin, or any other suitable maftlllll, of approximately ellipticalformin outline and concavo-convex in both longitndinal and transversesection. A metal eyelet 2 extends through the body portion 1 of thespoon adjacent the top or line end thereof, said eyelet being headed orflanged on opposite sides of the body of the spoon. A strip of sheetmetal 3 of channel form extends entirely around the outer edge of thebody portion 1, so that the edge of the body portion will be closelyconfined within and protected by the metallic frame. The meeting edgesof the metallic frame are soldered together or otherwise permanently andrigidly connected.

Through the eyelet 2 is threaded a split ring 1. This ring is of thekey-ring type and to it is connected a swivel 5, the line being key-ringtype.

or fastened to the binding strip s, 1923. Serial No. 661,623.

connected to the opposite end of said swivel.

The spoon body is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 6centrally located about midway between its ends. In this slot 18 secureda metallic eyelet 7, said eye- 'let beingbentover at its edges to formflanges 8 on opposite sides of the spoon body. This flanged eyeletthoroughly protects the edges of the body material and provides a strongdurable wearing surface. Connected to the line ring 41 is a dependinglink 9, said link being preferably of wire twisted to form an eye 10 atits upper end which is engaged with the line ring, and with an eye 11 atits lower end. Threaded in the eye 11 is a hook-ring'12 of the ordinaryThe link 9 is of suflicient length to perm'itthehook ring 12 to extendthrough the eyelet 7 without engaging the upper or lower end walls ofthe eyelet. The link 9 is preferably'arranged on the concave side of thespoon body. Threaded into the hook, ring 12 is a hook 13, said hookengaging in the ring on the convex side of the spoon body. It ismanifest, therefore, that the link 9 will be on one side of the spoonbody and the hook 12 will be on the opposite side thereof.

The spoon body is provided near its central portion with a transverselyextending diagonal band 1 1 of bright or shiny material. .Pl'tfilfiblf,this band is arranged on the convex side of the spoon body and is ofthin metal, nickel plated or otherwise brightly polished and permanentlysoldered This metal band'serves as a reinforcing strip and is diagonallyarranged in order to produce the effect of a broad bright band on thespoon body whenthe spoon body is swirled and turned during the trollingoperation. By arranging the band diagonally it is manifest that whenrotated it will give the effect of a broad straight band across thespoon body.

The link 9 is of such length that when the spoon is moving through thewater with no appreciable strain on the hook the strain will be taken upentirely by the eyelet 2 and there will be no strain on the walls of theeyelet 7. When there is a strain on the hook the parts assume theposition as shown in Fig. 3 and the pull is then directly through link 9and ring 1 to the line swivel and the line. In this position of theparts there is no strain on the eyelet 2 or on the eyelet 7 in the slot6. It is therefore manifest that the spoon body will be relieved ofexcessive strains which might tend to break it. It is also manifest thatduring the trolling operation where there is no strain on the hook thespoon body will be free to rotate and freely swing about its connection.

While I prefer to form the spoon body of mother-ofpearl, because of itsmany obvious advantages, it is clear that the spoon body may be made ofany suitable material and that it may be colored or polished as desired.

The hook ring 12 is located within the eyelet 7 and maintainsthe hook inthe desired position with respect to the spoon body, while at the sametime the hook may freely swing and oscillate.

hat I claim is:

1. A trolling spoon comprising a body portion provided with an eyeletnear one end and with a slot at a substantial distance from the saideyelet, a line ring through said eyelet, a line swivel connected to saidring, a hook, and flexible means connecting the hook to the line ringsaid connecting means passing through the said aperture whereby the hookwill be on the opposite side of the spoon body from the hook connectionwith the line ring.

2. A trolling spoon comprising a body portion approximately ellipticalin outline and concavo-convex in longitudinal and transverse section andprovided with an eyelet near one end, a transverse diagonally arrangedband of highly polished material extending across the body portion, aline ring through said eyelet, and a line swivel connected to said ring.

3. A trolling spoon comprising a body portion of highly polishedfrangible material approximately elliptical in outline andconcavo-convex in longitudinal and transverse section and provided withan eyelet near one end, a metal binding of channel form surrounding andenclosing the edge of the body portion, a transverse diagonally arrangedthin highly polished metal band extending across the convex side of thebody portion and permanently and rigidly connected to the metal bindingof the body portion, a line ring through said eyelet, and a line swivelconnected to said ring.

4:. A trolling spoon comprising a body portion formed with a slotintermediate its ends, a line connection at one end of the said bodyportion, a hook, and flexible means connecting the hook to the lineconnection said flexible means passing through said slot whereby thehook will be on the opposite side of the spoon body from the point ofconnection of said flexible means with the line connection.

5. A trolling spoon comprising a body portion approximately ellipticalin outline and concavo-convex in longitudinal and transverse section andformed with an aperture near one end and with a slot substantiallymidway its ends, a line ring through said aperture, a link connected tothe line ring on the concave side of the body portion, a hook ringextending freely through the said slot in the body portion and connectedto the link on the concave side of the body portion, and a hookconnected to the hook ring and located on the convex side of the bodyportion, the said link and hook ring comprising a flexible connectionbetween the line ring and the hook.

6. A trolling spoon comprising a body portion of frangible materialapproximately elliptical in outline and concavo-convex in longitudinaland transverse section, and provided with an eyelet near one end andwith a slot substantially midway its ends, a metal binding of channelform surrounding and enclosing the edge of the body portion, a metalbinding of channel form around the edges of the said slot, a line ringthrough said eyelet, a line swivel connected to said ring, a linkconnected to the line ring on the concave side of the body portion, ahook ring extending freely through the said slot in the body portion andconnected to the link on the concave side of the body portion, and ahook connected to the hook ring and located on the convex side of thebody portion, said link and hook ring comprising a flexible connectionbetween the line ring and the hook. V

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

GEORGE H. DOERING.

